Gossip Girl: The AU Version
by IceCream386
Summary: English!Chuck AU: Chuck and his family move away from England to NYC. In flashbacks to his life in England, Chuck's secrets are gradually unraveled. Ensemble piece, but Chuck-centric.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own any of the characters in this story. It has been written purely for entertainment purposes._

**Warning: **_This story contains a lot of blanked out swearing. It may also contain mild references to drug-taking and drunkenness._

**A/N: **_As always, reviews are very welcome. This is only my second story. Constructive criticism - if you have the time to give it - would be very helpful but pease don't be too harsh!_

**Gossip Girl: The AU Version**

**(Chuck's POV: PRESENT)**

Charles Bass came from a rich and successful family. Success and riches were in his blood, and of course, with success and riches came power. Power was always a good thing to have.

Charles, or Chuck as he was known by everyone who wasn't a family member or a servant, didn't need to let people know who he was. They already knew. He was Chuck Bass. He would walk into a room, and he would instantly be the centre of attention. All heads would turn to look at him. People would start poking one another and whispering. He liked it this way. It was good to be noticed - worshipped almost.

His parents were the richest in the school. In fact they were probably the richest in the neighbourhood, perhaps even the whole state.

He and his family had recently moved to New York after he had been kicked out from his old school back in England. They had enrolled him in the richest, most prestigious school they could find in their vicinity. He wasn't surprised to learn that he was already famous. He had been famous back in England, which was where he used to live.

People had heard of his father, whose huge chain of hotels had gone global. In fact, they'd been global for generations. Bart, his father, had simply taken it over from Chuck's grandfather, who'd taken it over from his father and so on. Money had been the Bass family for a long time.

His brother, Donald, was 21 years old and was now very involved in the business. The way he sucked up to their father was so irritating to watch. Chuck was sure Donald was an idiot. He'd done very well in his exams, but considering that he was pretty stupid.

Charles, or Chuck as he was known to everyone who wasn't a servant or family member, didn't really bother with exams, or school, for that matter. He didn't really see the point. His brother was too much of a soft touch to ever prevent him from sponging off the family business. Until then, he had his father, and the very idea that his father would ever tolerate the gossip that would circulate if Chuck ever wanted for anything was laughable.

Chuck didn't really have friends. Yes, he had drinking, smoking (and drug-taking) buddies, and of course everyone was in awe of him because of his family's wealth and status, but he didn't really have anyone that he talked to much.

Nathaniel Archibald, or Nate as he was known to his friends, had invited him to some party or other. It was quite interesting that he would do this, to be honest. Chuck supposed it had something to do with the fact that he was the rich English kid.

He didn't really see any reason why he shouldn't go. His parents wouldn't be bothered about him staying somewhere else for the night, in fact he imagined they would be quite pleased to be rid of him. After all, that meant they could spend more time with his boring tw*t of an older brother.

He didn't waste any time in arriving in the flashiest, most expensive limo possible and was pleased to note the crowd of kids that were stood there just gawping at him. To his annoyance, however, he saw that the party seemed to have already started without him. He saw Nate walking out to greet him.

He slid the window down. "Hey, Nate!" he shouted over the music, still very comfortably sat in his car, "Don't f*** with a f***er! You said this party would start at ten! What the f*** happened?" he said jokingly. It wasn't like he actually cared about the party much. It just annoyed him a little that the star guest (him, of course) hadn't been informed of the facts.

Nate shrugged. "Yeah, sorry about that," he said casually. "You aren't bothered are you? You really should have come earlier. I'll have to be leaving quite soon. My parents won't want me out all night."

Chuck laughed internally. "Mine will," he muttered.

"What's that?" said Nate.

"Mind your f***ing business!" His tone was joking. Again, he wasn't angry. "You're a nosy little f***er aren't you?"

Nate's eyes widened. "And your mouth could do with some washing out."

"F***ing prude. Bet this party's sh*t anyway." he muttered, getting out of the car and giving a few instructions to the driver, before letting him drive off.

"You coming with me?" Nate looked at him.

"Hmm…yeah okay."

Nate led him into the house. There were crowds of girls and boys getting drinks; some were already drunk. He was noting all of this, when he saw Nate shake his head slightly.

"It's really bad, the way most people our age just get drunk like they do. Like it's nothing. Have they no ambition? I mean where are their parents?"

"You are such a f***ing prude aren't you? They're just having fun and getting p*ssed is the way to do that. So what?"

"You think this is _fun_?" Nate's voice was filled with amazement.

"Well, if you disapprove so much, why the f*** did you come?" Chuck was growing annoyed. What was wrong with this guy? Did he not understand the meaning of the word _fun_?

Nobody got hurt, he thought. Then an image crossed his mind, for a second. Well, not often anyway. Just that _one _time, maybe. But that was nothing, nothing at all…


	2. Chapter 2

**(Chuck's POV: FLASHBACK)**

Ted was such a stupid little waste of space, Chuck thought. He didn't half annoy everyone. Everybody hated him so much. Chuck just wished he'd get lost. Because Ted was the only thing spoiling his rather fun night. He intended to find and sleep with as many people as possible.

It had been going to have been so much fun, but obviously Ted made it a bit harder for anyone to have fun. He was such a fidgety little nervous wreck. He seemed so concerned with what everyone thought of him. Then, reasoned Chuck, he might well be. He was such a little idiot.

Chuck thought that maybe, just maybe, drugs might make Ted a tiny bit more fun. Then again it might just make him even more intolerable. Chuck suspected it would turn out to be the latter, but he was curious enough to want to give it a try. So he sidled up to where Ted was sitting, by the swimming pool and put his hand into his pocket taking out the little packet of powder.

He saw Ted's expression instantly become one of astonishment, and he laughed. Ted went bright red and looked away. Chuck didn't know why, but they sat there for a while, saying nothing. They just watched everyone splashing about in the pool and getting drinks, cocktails mostly, handed to them on trays.

To Chuck's amazement, Ted actually summoned up the courage to speak. "You were excluded weren't you?" he asked. He sounded rather wistful. Chuck couldn't help but wonder why.

"None of your f***ing business, but yes." He was more annoyed by that question than he had thought he would be. Somehow, the subject bothered him more than a little.

Ted's eyes opened in wonder. "W…What were you expelled for?"

"W***ing on school premises." Chuck snorted with laughter at his own joke and when he saw Ted's bewildered, wide-eyed expression he exploded into peals of uncontrolled laughter that caused some of the other party-goers to stare. Some of them whispered to each other. They were probably wondering what the hell Chuck was doing hanging around someone like Ted. He wondered himself.

"Is that true?"

"Of course not, you f***wit." He rolled his eyes. "I was kicked out for smoking weed."

"Oh." Ted's expression was serious, attentive.

Chuck burst out laughing again. "What are you looking at me like that for, you tw*t?"

"You got pretty bad grades, didn't you? But I reckon that's 'cause you didn't try. I think you're really…really clever actually." He blushed upon saying this.

He'd probably never uttered such a long sentence in his life, thought Chuck. "You're weird," he said, in reply. Ted bit his lip, colouring even more. "Not that that's necessarily a bad thing," he continued, "A lot of people think I'm pretty eccentric myself. I don't give a f***. But you see, I'm interesting weird. You're just a f***ing bore, to be honest."

"You think you're weird?" Ted eyes have gone all watery.

"That's not what I said, tw*t. Do you engage your brain when you listen to people? I said _other people _think I'm weird."

"Oh, sorry. Do you though…think you're weird?"

Chuck couldn't help but wonder when Ted got so talkative. Was he drunk? He didn't seem to be. "What do you think?" he said coolly.

"Are you asking if I think you're weird, or if I think _you _think you're weird?"

"Both." Chuck was actually quite curious for a response. He wasn't sure why.

"I don't think you're weird exactly. I think you're special." He blushed. "But I think you think you're weird."

"Why do you think that?" His voice was aloof, cool. He tried to appear casual and not too interested, but in reality he was quite intrigued.

"Well, I think you're amazing. I don't think you're weird, because weird is…a bad thing. But I think you think you're weird because…you just seem quite lonely and I reckon that's to do with how you think of yourself."

Chuck snorted with laughter. "What the f***? Are you turning into some kind of f***ing psychoanalyst or what? What makes you think I'm lonely? I get invited to f***loads of parties! I got invited to this f***ing party! How the f*** do you work out I'm lonely?!"

"I got invited to this party too," said Ted quietly.

It took a moment for the meaning of Ted's words to fully sink in. "You think we're in any way alike? Mind you, you might have a point. I'd have to be f***ing lonely to be sitting here talking to a tw*t like you when I'm at a f***ing party."

"That's how I work out you're lonely," murmured Ted. "Why aren't you just…enjoying the party?"

Chuck folded his arms. It was getting cold outside. He wished he was still on holiday in New York. Nowhere in England was the same. It was all dreary, drab and cold. "This party's sh*t," he said, by way of reply.

"Why don't you leave then?" Ted asked. "Why stay if it's as bad as you say it is?"

"Wouldn't mind going, but I promised myself a night out."

"And you're lonely," Ted finished.

"What the f***?" Chuck said wearily.

"You don't want to go home, do you? Are your parents angry with you?"

"None of your f***ing business!" he hissed, real venom in his words for the first time. Ted looked very taken aback and seemed to even be quite scared.

The truth was that his parents were angry with him. Not that he cared of course. But he did wish he could just go back to that summer holiday in New York. He wished he could just soak up the good weather and f*** all the hot guys and girls there were over there. He wished he didn't have to go back to worrying about exams, about school. Not that he worried about them; he couldn't care less, but his parents cared _a lot_. It's got on his nerves.

It's not that they cared about him using drugs. They just cared about him getting excluded from school. They wanted him to do drugs under the cover of darkness. They were furious that he'd let his dirty little secret slip. It was amazing he hadn't got in more trouble, actually, but as usual his parents had paid an ample sum to the heads of his school to encourage them to keep it quiet.

"You know you never did answer my question…" said Ted timidly.

"What the f*** is it now?"

"Do _you _think you're weird?"

"If I answer your stupid question will you f*** off?" He wished he was in the pool. It was heated. He'd be warm in there. And he might meet someone he could sleep with.

Ted looked hurt for some reason. "Do you want me to go that badly?"

"Yes, I f***ing do!" he snapped. "I've had enough of your sh*tty attempts at conversation to last me a lifetime!"

"Sh…Should I just go then?" Ted looked worried. "You are alright aren't you?"

"Why the f*** would you care?" He reached into his pocket and fished out a packet of cigarettes. He lit one. He inhaled deeply. He'd feel better after a good long smoke.

Ted coughed and his nose crinkled. He obviously didn't like the smell of smoke.

"What was your question?" Chuck said, his tone detached. The cigarette had calmed him down quite considerably already. He blew a large cloud of smoke out, nonchalantly.

"Do _you _think you're weird?"

"I think _you're _f***ing weird for asking, but yeah I suppose that's one word for it. I prefer eccentric 'cause like I said, I _am _interesting. Unlike some people who're just f***ing bores." On his final sentence, he shot Ted a meaningful look.

"Well, bye, Chuck."

Ted was about to walk away but Chuck stopped him. "Wait," he said, and Ted stopped and turned around. "Take this," he said, handing Ted one of the bags containing white powder.

"Thanks, Chuck. Thanks." He smiled enthusiastically, seeming happier than Chuck had ever seen him, and as Chuck watched him walk away, he couldn't help noticing there was a spring in his step.


	3. Chapter 3

**(Chuck's POV: PRESENT)**

"You alright, handsome?" A blonde girl had sidled up to him as he was helping himself to drinks.

"You're f***ing hot," he said, almost on autopilot.

"You too, gorgeous. Want to go somewhere for…a private viewing?" She held out her hand to him and he took it.

They came out of the room later, having already dragged another hot guy in, and he started to feel the effects of alcohol kicking in. He walked, slightly unsteadily out of the room, his hair and tie dishevelled. He saw Nate talking excitedly to another guy at the party. Nate saw him and shouted over to him.

"Hey, Chuck. There's someone I'd like you to meet," said Nate.

Chuck looked at the other guy properly for the first time. He was wearing a casual white shirt and a rather boring pair of jeans. He wasn't exactly dressed at the height of fashion to say the least. Chuck noticed that he was wearing a gold wristwatch. His hair was brown, messy and not styled, but Chuck thought that strangely it suited him rather well. His face was thin, pale and rather serious. He was a little taller than Chuck himself, about the same height as Nate. He was holding a cup which appeared to be filled with coffee.

"Hi, I'm Dan," said the other boy.

"Yeah, whatever."

Dan looked surprised at his words. He probably thought that was a rude thing to say. Which it was, Chuck supposed, but he didn't really care.

Nate had coloured a little, "Come on, dude. Try a little." He muttered. He smiled at Dan. "This is Charles Bass, but you'd better call him Chuck. You might have already heard of him."

Dan nodded. "I've read about you in the papers."

"Dan's at our Academy on a scholarship," said Nate, turning to Chuck "and he's doing really well."

"Good," said Chuck in an uninterested tone. "But I don't have all night. I've got other people to f***."

Dan opened his mouth in astonishment as if to say something, but he just closed it again. He looked like a fish, thought Chuck.

A petite brunette girl, wearing heels, walked up to the three of them and gave Nate a kiss on the cheek. Nate grinned.

"This, Chuck, is the one I've been telling you about. Chuck, this is Blair. Blair, this is Chuck."

Blair stretched out her hand. He stretched out his, and they shook hands.

"She's my girlfriend," Nate supplied.

"Yeah, you could do with one," said Dan sarcastically, looking at Chuck. He said it quietly but not quietly enough for Chuck not to hear it.

She was very fashionably dressed and immaculately groomed. She had beautiful, long chestnut locks and big brown eyes. She was a petite person, but the heels she was wearing were very high and made up some of her height. He thought she was pretty, if in a slightly different way from what seemed to be usually appreciated in New York.

"Lovely to meet you, Chuck," she said. She smiled, and he wasn't sure if it was in a patronizing or friendly way.

"You too. But could I get on with getting p*ssed?" he said in a mock business-like manner.

Nate looked rather annoyed. Dan looked a little shocked. But Blair barely flinched and smiled at him.

"Feel free," she said and smiled sweetly. At least it seemed sweet. He couldn't tell if she was faking it.

He was a little surprised by her reaction. He hadn't met many people who behaved in the way she did. He found her less annoying in some ways. He went on his way and took out a bag of white powder. He'd need some more soon. He'd have to ask his supplier.

There was a boy in the room he went into. He saw immediately what Chuck was attempting to do.

"I wouldn't do that stuff," he said darkly.

"F*** off! It doesn't do anyone any harm!" He didn't say it angrily, just perhaps a little irritably.

"Well, if you're sure," said the guy and left the room…


End file.
